A New Kind of Air in Bellingham
The Waterfront Bike Park was on full display this weekend as Northwest Tune-Up in Bellingham, Washington showcased three entertaining disciplines across two days of competition.
Friday's Kona Pump Track Race kicked things off with fast, head-to-head racing before Saturday shifted gears with the Outdoor Research FMB Freestyle Showdown presented by Zink Bikes and the debut of Red Bull Best Whip on the park's newly rebuilt jump line.
Together, the events marked another milestone for Bellingham's Waterfront Bike Park, demonstrating its potential as both a public progression zone and a venue capable of hosting international-level slopestyle competition.
Friday, July 10: Kona Pump Track Race
The weekend opened with the Kona Pump Track Race, where riders raced head-to-head around the pump track in a knockout bracket format. Every heat came down to carrying speed, pumping efficiently and making the fewest mistakes, with split-second margins deciding who advanced.
As the rounds progressed, the pace only got faster, culminating in a series of tightly contested finals that crowned this year's champions.
| Division | Rank | First Name | Last Name |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pro Women | |||
| 1 | Shealan | Reno | |
| 2 | Sophie | Allen | |
| 3 | Skye | Sherman | |
| Pro Men | |||
| 1 | Eddie | Reynolds | |
| 2 | Hayden | Damon | |
| 3 | Alejandro | Alcojor | |
| Amateur Girls (U10) | |||
| 1 | Saoirse | Read | |
| 2 | Emery | Lukens | |
| 3 | Ripley | Lau-Hall | |
| Amateur Boys (U18) | |||
| 1 | Beck | Porter | |
| 2 | Grahame | Shepherd||
| 3 | Domico | Johnson | |
| Amateur Boys (U16) | |||
| 1 | Jayce | Fishbaugh | |
| 2 | Hamish | Sherman | |
| 3 | Colton | Hackett | |
| Amateur Boys (U13) | |||
| 1 | Guar | Shepherd | |
| 2 | Nikita | Afanasyev | |
| 3 | Chester | Curtis | |
| Amateur Boys (U10) | |||
| 1 | William | Kromer | |
| 2 | Anton | Afanasyev | |
| 3 | Gavin | Gutierrez | |
Saturday, July 11: A New Era for the Waterfront Bike Park
Saturday welcomed the Outdoor Research Freestyle Showdown presented by Zink Bikes, now in its second year as the only Bronze-level stop in the U.S. on the FMB World Tour. With valuable late-season ranking points on the line, the competition offered riders one more opportunity to strengthen their standing and make a push toward qualifying for the 2026 Crankworx Slopestyle Super League.
New for 2026, Red Bull Best Whip joined Saturday’s schedule, giving riders a second opportunity to showcase their creativity and style on a single hit.
Both competitions took place on the newly rebuilt expert jump line, unveiled just days earlier following a complete redesign by Sensus Rad Trails. Featuring five rebuilt jumps and a new timber start platform, the updated course offered more consistent speed, improved flow and bigger opportunities for riders to link tricks together throughout each run.
Freeride veteran Cam McCaul and NW Cup race organizer Casey Northern returned to emcee the action while DJ Yanni kept the energy rolling from the Red Bull War Wagon throughout the afternoon.
Outdoor Research Freestyle Showdown Results
The Outdoor Research Freestyle Showdown presented by Zink Bikes challenged riders to put together complete runs judged on trick difficulty, execution, amplitude, flow and style. Open Men's, Open Women's and Grom divisions all competed for podium finishes, with the Open categories earning valuable ranking points toward the FMB World Tour standings alongside equal cash payouts.
| Division | Rank | First Name | Last Name | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pro Women | ||||
| 1 | Zoe | Witwicki | 87.85 | |
| 2 | Kaelah | Gagne | 75.66 | |
| 3 | Peyton | Lee | 74.33 | |
| Pro Men | ||||
| 1 | Ayden | Siebenaler | 91.16 | |
| 2 | Lyon | Hyldahl | 90.16 | |
| 3 | Alex | Pickering | 87.33 | |
Red Bull Best Whip Results
Making its Northwest Tune-Up debut, Red Bull Best Whip gave riders a second chance to shine by shifting the focus from full competition runs to a single trick in a 45-minute jam format. Riders launched the dedicated whip feature in search of the biggest, most stylish whip of the day, with judging based on creativity and flair.
| Division | Rank | First Name | Last Name |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pro Women | |||
| 1 | Shealan | Reno | |
| 2 | Brittany | Gustafson | |
| 3 | Kaelah | Gagne | |
| Pro Men | |||
| 1 | Eddie | Reynolds | |
| 2 | Wyatt | Mckay | |
| 3 | Drew | Gidley | |
More Than a Weekend
While the waterfront competitions may be over, the impact of this year's events will stick around.
The rebuilt Waterfront Bike Park was designed not only to host competition during Northwest Tune-Up, but to serve as a year-round public facility where riders can continue progressing on the same features used throughout the weekend. With an FMB World Tour Bronze event, the debut of Red Bull Best Whip and another exciting edition of the Kona Pump Track Race now in the books, Bellingham continues to strengthen its reputation as one of the Pacific Northwest's premier destinations for progression, freeride and mountain bike culture.